England vs South Africa, second ODI: Hosts fall agonisingly short in historic chase at Lord's as visitors complete series victory
Joe Root, Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell all scored half-centuries for England, who closed on 325-9 in reply to South Africa's 330-8; South Africa take a 2-0 lead in the three-match series ahead of Sunday's clash at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton, live on Sky Sports Cricket
Friday 5 September 2025 07:33, UK
South Africa wrapped up a one-day international series victory over England with a match to spare after holding on to claim a dramatic five-run win in the second ODI at Lord’s.
The tourists recovered from 93-3 to post 330-8 from their 50 overs after losing the toss, with Matthew Breetzke top-scoring with 85 and putting on a 147-run fourth-wicket stand with Tristan Stubbs (58).
Dewald Brevis (42) and Corbin Bosch (32 not out) made late cameos, after Aiden Markram (49) and Ryan Rickelton (35) put on a 73-run opening stand, while Jofra Archer (4-62) and Adil Rashid (2-33) were the pick of a limited England attack lacking a fifth full-time bowling option.
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Hopes of the biggest successful run chase in an ODI at Lord's were halted when Joe Root (61) and Jacob Bethell (58) fell in successive overs, leaving England 147-4, while Jos Buttler (61) pushed England closer to their victory target until being bowled by Lungi Ngidi (1-72).
Nandre Burger (3-63) claimed Will Jacks (39) as part of a two-wicket over but a stunning boundary burst from Archer took the contest to the final ball, where a single saw England fall short on 325-9 and gave South Africa an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Breetzke stars as South Africa set big total
Saqib Mahmood replaced Sonny Baker in England's bowling attack from Tuesday's thrashing at Headingley as South Africa made two changes, with Breetzke in for Tony de Zorzi (hamstring) and Senuran Muthusamy replacing Wiaan Mulder due to illness.
South Africa made a solid start after being sent into bat first, after morning rain delayed the start by 15 minutes, reaching 50 inside the powerplay and moving to 73 before Rickelton (35) top-edged Archer and Jos Buttler took a smart diving catch.
Rashid got Temba Bavuma (four) caught behind in the next over and took a smart caught and bowled opportunity to dismiss Aiden Markram (49), leaving the tourists 93-3 until Breetzke continued a brilliant start to his ODI career to push South Africa towards a big total.
Breetzke successfully reviewed being given out caught behind - when on 19 - to build a big partnership with Stubbs, posting his fifth consecutive ODI half-century and racing to 85 from 77 deliveries before being trapped lbw by Archer.
Stubbs had reached his half-century the previous over after attacking England's part-time bowlers of Bethell and Jacks, who finished with combined figures of 1-112, only to be run out in calamitous fashion when Brevis turned down taking a quick single.
Brevis fired three sixes in a 20-ball 42 and was caught by Rashid at backward point off Bethell, while Corbin Bosch posted an unbeaten on 32, as Archer's figures improved by dismissing Senuran Muthusamy (seven) lbw and bowling Keshav Maharaj (one) in the final over.
England fall short after late drama
The hosts made a nightmare start when Jamie Smith edged behind off Burger's first ball, while Ben Duckett struggled in a 33-ball 14 before being bowled by Maharaj (2-59) when attempting to reverse sweep.
Duckett had put on 66-run stand with Root, who supported a boundary burst from Bethell that saw Maharaj concede 20 runs - the most in an over of his ODI career - and briefly put England on top.
Root completed his 43rd ODI fifty and Bethell reached his half-century in the same Burger over, only for Bethell to pick out Brevis at backward point off Bosch and Root to be stumped by Rickelton off Maharaj.
Buttler and Harry Brook (33) pushed England past 200 with a 69-run partnership for the fifth wicket, before the latter looped Muthusamy to Bavuma at cover, with Buttler adding 40 with Jacks until the wicket-keeper's departure put South Africa back on top.
Jacks picked out Maharaj at point after Carse had been caught in the deep off the same Burger over, while Archer fired an unbeaten 27 from 14 deliveries but was unable to find the final-ball maximum required to take the contest to a Super Over.
Brook praises 'great effort' despite latest England loss
England captain Harry Brook: "South Africa probably got 10-15 too many runs so to get to within one blow of their score was a great effort from us.
"We [elevated Bethell to No 4] to unsettle their spinners and we tried to keep the left-hand, right-hand combination as well. With the ball we were unlucky in the powerplay - lbw shouts, plays and misses. It just didn't go our way."
Player of the Match, Matthew Breetzke: "We [South Africa] found it quite tricky and thought a good score was 280 but the longer we batted, it got a lot easier.
"It was old-school cricket and batsmanship to start - we want to play positive but we read conditions - and then more aggressive at the end."
Analysis: 'Tired' England 'lost wickets at bad times'
England's performance was a vast improvement from Tuesday's seven-wicket drubbing, although it leaves South Africa with their first bilateral ODI series win in England since 1998.
"South Africa got an above-par score," former England bowler Stuart Broad told Sky Sports. "Nine out of the last 10 ODIs here had been won by the team batting first, and quite comfortably, so as soon as South Africa got an over-par score on the board they looked in a great position.
"I thought England looked a bit tired maybe, a bit weary. There was a lack of body language in the field, and any time you concede over 300 here at Lord's it's going to be a tough chase.
"They made a decent effort of it but lost wickets at bad times."
England v South Africa fixtures
All live on Sky Sports, all times UK and Ireland 🕰️
- First ODI (Headingley): South Africa won by seven wickets
- Second ODI (Lord's): South Africa win by five runs
- Third ODI: Sunday September 7 (11am) - Utilita Bowl
- First T20: Wednesday September 10 (6.30pm) - Sophia Gardens Cardiff
- Second T20: Friday September 12 (6.30pm) - Emirates Old Trafford
- Third T20: Sunday September 14 (2.30pm) - Trent Bridge
Watch England's ODIs and T20s against South Africa live on Sky Sports, with the third ODI at Utilita Bowl on Sunday (10.30am on air, 11am first ball). Stream without a contract.
